APRIL 2020 FORBES AFRICA| 19FORBESAFRICA
THE TRENDFORBESAFRICA.COMmeasuresthatwillcurbthespreadofSARS-CoV-2,asthevirus
causingthecurrentpandemicisnamed.
“It’sreallyaboutgettingbacktobasics:basichand-washing
andhandhygienepractices,”explainsNathalieLeblond,Category
ManageratRentokilInitialSouthAfrica,thelocalbranchofthe
internationalcorporatehygienespecialist.“There’sa lotoftalk
aboutsanitizing,butit’shand-washingandhand-dryingthat’s
goingtomakethedifference.It’sboringbecauseit’sthebasicsbut
it istheworldrecommendedpreventiontactic.”
ThisworksbecauseSARS-CoV-2,likemostviruses,hasa thin
lipid(orfat)layerholdingtheelementstogether.Whenthatlayer
isdissolvedwitha properhand-washing– withsoap– andthen
dryingofthehands,thewholeensemblefallsapartandthevirus
“dies”.Alcohol-basedsanitizersworktooandarea goodstopgap
if youcan’tgettothesink,andit’swisetoplacethesestrategically
aroundtheofficeinhigh-touchzones.
Photocopiers,fingerprintscannersandmeetingroomscan
allturnintohotbedsofcontagion.SaysLémayRogers,Rentokil
Initial’sMarketingManagerforsub-SaharanAfrica,“Mostpeople
aren’tevenawarethey’redoingit.Youtoucha surfaceandby
touchinga handormouthoreye,it transfersintothebody.”
Thisappliesparticularlytoyourfrontandreceptiondesksand
businessesshouldpreparetheseareaswithquickaccesshygiene
measures.
Thenextbighealthtrend,saysScholtz,isaccesscontrolto
buildingandfacilities.Alreadysomeinstitutions,likeAkeso
PsychiatricHospitalsinSouthAfrica,aretakingtemperatures
beforeallowingaccess.Infact,Scholtzrecommendsbusinesses
shouldstartimplementingrestrictedaccesstotheirpremises
nowalready.It’salsocrucialtodrivecompliancethroughvisual
reminderslikestrategicposterplacement,andbyenablingeasy
hygienicpracticesthroughouttheoffice.
“It’sverysadthatit takessomethinglikethistoremindus
ofthisbasichygienicbehavior.Ifwedidn’tneeda reminder,
pandemicslikethis wouldn’t spread in the way that they do,”
notesLeblond.
Remoteworking
Anothercrucialworkplacetrendthat’srampedupbythe
pandemicisremoteworking.Thisenablesa formof“social
distancing”,whichlimitsthespreadofthevirus.Notall
workplacescandothis,butinSeattle,forexample,businesseslike
Amazon,TheBillGatesFoundationandBainhavealleffectively
quarantinedtheiremployeesathomeuntilthediseaseslows
down.
Manycorporateenvironmentscanenableworkingfromhome,
butScholtzanticipatesserviceindustriestakinga hitandsome
internationalbusinessesarealreadyseeingthenegativeeffects of
theenforcedquarantine.
SaysScholtz,“Thebiggestimpactonbusinesswillbe
absenteeismandtheabilitytoworkfromhome– andif a business
is prepared to continue working under these conditions.”
CHECKLIST:WHAT
COMPANIESCAN DO- Setupthereceptiondeskwithwipes,hand
sanitizersanda signthatdiscourageshand-
shaking - Setuphandsanitizersaround“hotspots”like
thekettle,photocopier,fingerprintscannerand
watercoolers - Ensurethebathroomsareuptoscratchwith
hand-washingliquidandaneffectivewaytodry
hands - Putuppostersremindingpeopletocomplywith
hygienestandardsandofhygieneetiquettelike
sneezingintoa tissueoryourelbow - Startimplementing“checks”beforepeopleare
allowedinthebuildingtoensuresickpeople
keepa wideberth - Ensuresickleaveis actuallytaken
- Havea contingencyplanforabsenteeism
- Restricttraveltoconferencesandinternational
countries - Encourageyouremployeestogettheflu
vaccine.Althoughthiswon’timpactthespread
ofSARS-CoV-2,it meansthatanyflu-like
symptomsare then more likely to indicate
Covid-19
Prepareforabsenteeismandsickleave
Healthofficialsrecommendanyonethatcomesintocontactwith
SARS-CoV-2shouldtakea voluntary14-dayquarantine.This
meansthecorporateculturearoundabsenteeismneedstobe
seriouslyinterrogated:willemployeesactuallytaketimeoff?Says
Leblond,“Ifyou’recoughingorhavea runnynose,youshould
stayathome.Thisviruspassesthroughtheair.Sneezingbythe
photocopierwillspreadit soerronthesideofcaution.”
Culturally,employeeswilllooktouppermanagementtosee
howthisismodeled,andit’simportanttoallowandencourage
employeestotakesickleave or work remotely, even if they just
have mild symptoms.